Wire-fence clamp.



5W i m1 Patented May 21, 191.2.

Inventor wall/1,

Attorneys W. G. DUNN.

v WIRE FENCE GLAMPI APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 14, 1911.

"Witnesses UNITED sTATEs; PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER CLYDE DUNN, OF MANITOU, KENTUCKY.

WIRE-FENCE CLAMP.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that'I, l/VALTER O. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manitou, in the county of Hopkins and State of Kentucky, have'invent'ed a new and useful Wire-Fence- Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps for I woven Wire fences and the like, which are used for the purpose of stretching the fences or holding same. 1

The object of this invention is to provide an improved clamp of this character which will effectually grip the strands of a fence and which embodies certain novel details of construction which will allow the clamp ing device tobe readily applied to the fence and secure the clamp on the fence.

With the above and other objects in view which will be apparent in the hereinafter description, this invention is embodied in the novel arrangement, construction and combination of parts and details as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the clamp.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, parts shown in full. Fig. 3 is a top elevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view in perspective of one of the clamping members. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the other clamping member.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the two clamping members are designated as 6 'and 7, the former having a lower bifurcated end 12 and thelatter having the lower tenon 10 fitting within the bifurcation 12. A bolt 11 is passed through the bifurcated end 12 and the tenon 10 of the respective clamping members, to hingedly secure the said members together at their lower ends. The clamping member 6 along its inner face is provided with a longitudinal groove 13 and the other clamping member 7 has a tongue 8 embedded along the inner face thereof, which tongue is adapted to enter the groove 13 of the other member upon the clamping members being swung together.

Set screws 9 entering through the outer face A of the member 7 engage the tongue 8 and serve as a means for adjusting same inward 0r outward to force outward the outer edge thereof or permit the tongue to be retracted as may be desired. A staple 14 is passed Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May21, 1912 Application filed August 14, 1911. Serial No. 643,960.

through the intermediate portion of the member 7 and tongue 8 and is adapted to V have the looped end thereof passed through I 6 by a suitable chain 16. Staples 18 and 20" are secured to the respective edges of the members 6 and 7 adjacent each other anda chain 17 is hung from the staple 18 and.

has a hook 19 atjthe free end thereof adapted to be engaged with the staple 20 toform a means'for attaching a draft appliance of suitable character for pulling the clamp to stretch the fence, or for holding .the clamp 1n position. 7

A lever 28 comprising two sections spaced apart and parallel with each other having the inner edge thereof spread or offset outwardly as indicated at 27 is pivoted to the upper end and outer face of the member 7 by a cross-piece 25 connecting the extremities of the spread ends 27, the said cross-piece 25 passing through staples 26 provided on the outer face of the said member. The cam 21 is secured to the upper end and outer face of the other member 6 against which the lug 23 carried by the lever 28' is adapted to strike upon the said lever being swung over the member 6. Thus by forcing the lever 28 downwardly, the upper ends of the clamping members are tightly brought together. A hand lever 29 is pivoted between the sections of the outer end of the lever 28 and a rod 22 is pivoted to the short arm thereof and passes through the lug 23 to engage with teeth provided on the cam 21 whereby the lever 28 can be held in any position on the said cam. A coil spring 24 on the rod 22 tends to normally hold the rod 22 in engagement with the teeth on the cam and upon the lever 29 being gripped by the hand and swung toward the handle 28 the rod 22 is retracted from the cam 21 to disengage same from the teeth and permit the lever 28 tobe swung. When the lever 28 is swung upward and the wedge pin 15 is removed from the staple 14 the clamp ing members are free to be swung apart and can be conveniently made to straddle the strands of the fence and then swung together clamping the strands of the fence between the tongue 8 and the groove 13 to securely hold same. The wedge pin 15 is then inserted into the staple 14 to clamp the intermediate portions of the members 6 and 7 together and the lever 28 is swung over the member 6 to clamp the upper ends of the members together. The clamp is then ready for attachment to suitable draft means by means of the chain 17, as above indicated. The clamp is readily released from the strands by swinging the lever 28 upward and removing the wedge pin 15 which allows the members 6 and 7 to be swung apart and oh" of the fence.

It is understood that the particular construction of the lever 28 and cooperating parts can be altered in its details of construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is also understood that the various other parts of the clamp can be altered in their details of form as may be necessary or desired.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A clamp of the character described comprising two clamping members hingedly connected at one end, one of the said members having a longitudinal groove on its inner face, a tongue embedded in the inner face of the other member, set screws passing through the latter member and engaging the tongue to adjust the same, and means for clamping the two members together.

2. A clamp of the character described com prising two members hinged together at one end, a lever pivoted to the other end of one of the said members, a cam secured to the corresponding end of the other member with which the said levers cooperate to clamp the ends of the members together, and a springpressed rod adapted to engage the said cam to hold the lever in position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lVALTER CLYDE DUNN.

Witnesses W. P. VIoKERs, J. R. MARTIN.

Copies of this oatent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

